THERE are many great restaurants tucked away in the Buchan countryside.
But sometimes you don’t have to travel to the “back of beyond” to find a hidden gem.
They can be right on your doorstep, without you noticing – even in the centre of a town as large as Peterhead.
And a perfect example is Laxmi, an Indian restaurant situated on a little Blue Toon side street.
Hidden? Yes. A gem? Well my buddy Stephen and I really hoped so.
After all, we were famished after a hard day at the grind when we went in search of something spicy to put a bit of zing back into the day.
Our hopes were high as we headed for this Rose Street restaurant.
It was nice to get a warm welcome at this elegant, airy eatery. And the delicious smell of curry had our mouths watering.
It wasn’t long before we were tucking into some poppadoms and sauce to whet our appetite.
I opted for the
king prawn butterfly (£4.50) as a starter. Served covered with breadcrumbs it was a bit on the plain side for my tastes.
But my mate was hugely satisfied with his sheek kebab. The minced meat, onion and green herb mixture looked a tasty treat. He gave it a thumbs up ... the fiery mixture was just what he needed.
Now, when it comes to Indian food I always love a nice creamy curry. So I was not disappointed in the slightest when my chicken tikka (£8.25) arrived.
The rich, red sauce was bursting with flavours and managed not to be too sweet – the curse of some tikkas.
I was also impressed by large tender pieces of melt-in-the-mouth chicken. Delicious.
Meanwhile, Stephen had a lot on his plate to contend with – literally.
His akbori special (£10.95) was a heady mix of barbecued chicken, lamb and king prawns.
Cooked with a rich textured sauce, which included garlic and coriander, I could tell he was well pleased by the silence from his side of the table.
It was one of those “can’t talk ... eating” moments.
And a clean plate at the end showed his appreciation of this aromatic, but not too fiery, dish.
We shared a bowl of boiled rice (£1.95) and a very pleasurable peshwari naan (£2.30).
Great food, friendly and efficient service and a warm and relaxed atmosphere.
The Laxmi is a treat that’s worth seeking out for a winter-warming curry treat.